Roanoke Rapids City Manager Joseph Scherer confirmed following a city council closed session, in which no action was taken on a personnel matter this evening, that all four of the applicants remain under consideration.

Meanwhile, leaders of the county's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, again asked council to form an advisory panel, after going to them with the same request in August.

David Harvey, president of the county chapter, said, “Roanoke Rapids is not the only city hiring a police chief.”

He said the city of Greensboro has formed a review board that includes people in the community to help in advising on the position. “It is the culture of the city. When you don't want to be inclusive, you don't want to change the culture. We're asking you to open it back up.”

John Espenshade, political action chair for the county branch, told council, “Before you sign off on the recommendation of the city manager for a new chief of police, please consider the following.”

He said the city should talk to Winnie Bowens, a 15-year veteran officer of Roanoke Rapids, who is now police chief in Littleton and continues to work part time for the city. “If you do, you may learn of the culture of this police department and why you did not retain an African-American woman who made it to the ranks of management. Her experience is essential if you want to understand the dynamics in the department and the challenges a new chief will face creating a modern and diverse police department.”

Espenshade said the city should also consult with Frank Baumgartner, a University of North Carolina expert on police profiling. “Your data, you will learn that if you are black, you have a 40 percent greater possibility of being searched after a traffic stop in Roanoke Rapids than whites stopped under similar circumstances.”

He said the city should question if the racial disparity in the stop and search data is appropriate. “Is the higher search rate for blacks evidence of good police work? Is it just by chance? Does it reflect racial bias? How does it compare to similar jurisdictions in North Carolina. Invite Doctor Baumgartner to come and meet with you and tell you what he has found analyzing your data. You should know what your data reveals about your police department.”

Espenshade said the selection of police chief “is too important to be filled without this council providing the city manager formal guidance on the challenges ahead. If you want policemen and women to be better able to relate effectively to all segments of the city's population, tell him and urge him to convene a citizen panel to give him direction on selecting the most qualified candidate for the needs of the entire community.”

A citizens panel was agreed upon at a joint meeting between the NAACP and city representatives in August, he said. “Shortly thereafter, the city manager reneged on the agreement referring to statutory obstacles. The NAACP obtained legal advice from a municipal government expert at UNC and proposed a role for a citizens panel was well within North Carolina statutes.”

He told council there has been no formal response to the proposal in more than two months. “From this side of the table it looks like the city is intentionally excluding the community in the selection of a new chief of police. From our vantage point it looks like complacency with the status quo.

“That would explain why Roanoke Rapids department heads are 100 percent white when the city's population is 31 percent African-American. Ask yourselves how it is that black officers in the Roanoke Rapids Police Department represent only 12 percent of the force while 54 percent of the supervisors in the Halifax County Sheriff's Office are black. You have fallen way behind the times.”

City Attorney Gilbert Chichester said following the meeting the city did not renege and its representatives have another meeting scheduled with the NAACP.

Andy Jackson, who is serving as interim chief, said afterward, it is challenging keeping officers because of better-paying opportunities in other jurisdictions.

He said now, however, with having the department's own officers teaching college law enforcement classes, the recruitment opportunities are improving. “Our goal is to hire the best qualified person for the job no matter race, gender or religion.”